


Love in Idleness

by excited_ferret



Category: Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare
Genre: Consent Issues, F/M, Indirect Conversation, Love Potion/Spell, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26860981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/excited_ferret/pseuds/excited_ferret
Relationships: Demetrius/Helena (Midsummer Night's Dream)
Kudos: 4





	Love in Idleness

He tries to explain to her how he feels once, when she playfully asks him how much he loves her.

The first answers he think of are the usual. So much, more than the sky, the sun, the stars. Higher than the greatest height. More deeply than the deepest sea.

But then he begins to consider what he has said. He loves her infinitely. Is this how he feels? He thinks it is. He does not remember how it feels not to love her.

This is when Helena starts to look worried. But that can't be true, she says. He loved Hermia most devoutly. He must remember that.

Demetrius tries to remember, but it is as if his mind keeps jumping onto the idea and then sliding off. He remembers telling Hermia he loved her. He does not remember the love.

This is even more worrisome to Helena, because, she says, what if Demetrius feels the same way about her one day? What if he doesn't remember that he loves her?

Demetrius tells her this is impossible. He cannot help loving her. He has only to look at her and the feeling echoes through his heart and his mind.

She softens then, is won over, tells him that she loves him in just the same way. All is well between them.

But that night, Demetrius is awake, thinking about what he said. He cannot help loving her. The possibility of not loving her is something else his mind slides away from. He can't conceive of it. He wouldn't be himself if he didn't love her. Has she always been so much to him? He doesn't know. He doesn't remember. The more he tries to think of it, the fuzzier his thoughts become. He loves her. He must love her. He will always love her. It is a command that echoes through every inch of him.

But commands, he thinks, are given by someone.

It isn't that he doesn't want to love her. Of course he wants that. 

He just wants to know why he _must_ love her.


End file.
